Basketball
SportsMonkie Basketball Desk
The SportsMonkie Basketball Desk covers the NBA, WNBA and the wider game — players, records, rules and rankings — with figures checked against official NBA and league statistics.
Articles by SportsMonkie Basketball Desk (103)
The 50-40-90 Club in the NBA (Every Season)
Steve Nash leads the NBA 50-40-90 club with four seasons. Nine players have shot 50% FG, 40% 3PT and 90% FT in a season. The full list, explained.
NBA Number One Draft Picks by Year (Recent List)
Cooper Flagg was the 2025 NBA number one overall pick, taken by Dallas. Full recent list of first picks, famous names, busts and the lottery explained.
Quadruple-Double in the NBA (All Four Ever)
Only four official quadruple-doubles exist in NBA history: Nate Thurmond, Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. The full list, explained.
Most Points by a Rookie in NBA History
Wilt Chamberlain scored 2,707 points as a rookie in 1959-60, the NBA record. Full leaderboard of top rookie scoring seasons, plus the PPG mark.
Biggest NBA Draft Busts of All Time
Anthony Bennett, Greg Oden and Sam Bowie top most lists of the biggest NBA draft busts. What defines a bust, and the players drafted after them.
NBA Rookie of the Year Winners
Cooper Flagg won the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year, following Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama. Recent winners list and the famous names who won it.
Youngest NBA Champion: The Full Picture
Magic Johnson is the youngest NBA Finals MVP, winning at 20 as a rookie in 1980. The youngest title-winners, from impact stars to deep-bench rookies.
Back-to-Back NBA Champions (Every Repeat Winner)
The Boston Celtics won eight straight NBA titles from 1959-1966. Full list of back-to-back and three-peat NBA champions, and why repeating is rare.
Most Consecutive Games Played in NBA History
A.C. Green holds the NBA record with 1,192 consecutive games, the 'Iron Man.' The full durability list, and why load management makes it unbreakable.
Most Consecutive NBA Championships
The Boston Celtics won eight straight NBA titles from 1959 to 1966, the record for consecutive championships in any major North American league.
What Is a 10-Day Contract in the NBA?
A 10-day contract is a short NBA deal covering up to 10 days or three games. How the pay works, the two-contract limit and why teams use them, explained.
The 1995-96 Bulls' 72-10 Season
The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls went 72-10 and won the title, a record that stood until the Warriors' 73-9. The season and playoff run, explained.
The 2015-16 Warriors' 73-9 Season
The 2015-16 Warriors went 73-9, the best regular-season record in NBA history, then lost the Finals. How the record season unfolded, explained.
Best Regular-Season Record in NBA History
The 2015-16 Warriors went 73-9, the best regular-season record in NBA history. The full leaderboard of the winningest NBA teams, explained.
The Biggest Blowout in NBA History
The Grizzlies beat the Thunder 152-79 in 2021 for a 73-point margin, the biggest blowout in NBA history. The full leaderboard of the most lopsided games.
The Biggest Comeback in NBA History
The Utah Jazz erased a 36-point deficit against the Denver Nuggets in 1996, the biggest comeback in NBA history. The full leaderboard, explained.
Bird Rights in the NBA, Explained
Bird rights let an NBA team re-sign its own free agent even while over the salary cap. How the Larry Bird exception works, the 3-year rule and trades.
Box and One Defense: How It Works and Counters
A box and one defense puts four defenders in a zone box and one in man-to-man on the star scorer. How it works, when to use it, and how to beat it.
Goaltending in Basketball: The Rule Explained
Goaltending in basketball is touching a shot on its way down above the rim. What separates a legal block from a goaltend, plus basket interference.
The Highest-Scoring NBA Game Ever
The Pistons beat the Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime in 1983 for 370 combined points, the highest-scoring NBA game ever. The full list.
The Highest Vertical Jumps in the NBA
Keon Johnson set the NBA Draft Combine record with a 48-inch max vertical jump in 2021. The full leaderboard of the highest verticals ever recorded.
How Long Are WNBA Games?
A WNBA game is 40 minutes of play: four 10-minute quarters, versus the NBA's 48. In real time, about two hours. Format, overtime and clock explained.
Longest Losing Streak in NBA History
The 76ers and Pistons share the NBA record at 28 straight losses. The full leaderboard of the longest losing streaks, explained.
The Longest NBA Game Ever Played
The longest NBA game ever was Indianapolis Olympians 75, Rochester Royals 73 in six overtimes in 1951. The full list, explained.
Most NBA All-Star Appearances
LeBron James has 21 NBA All-Star selections, the most in history. The full leaderboard of the league's most-selected stars, explained.
Most Assists in a Single NBA Game
Scott Skiles dished 30 assists in 1990, still the most in a single NBA game. The full single-game assists leaderboard, ranked and explained.
Most Assists in NBA History
John Stockton holds the NBA career assists record with 15,806. The full leaderboard of the league's greatest playmakers, explained.
Most Blocks in NBA History
Hakeem Olajuwon recorded 3,830 career blocks, the most in NBA history. The full leaderboard of the league's greatest shot-blockers, explained.
Longest Win Streaks in NBA History
The 1971-72 Lakers hold the NBA record with 33 straight wins. The full leaderboard of the longest winning streaks in league history, explained.
The Biggest Contracts in NBA History
Jayson Tatum's 5-year, $314M supermax is the largest NBA contract by total value as of 2025. The full list of record deals, dated and explained.
Most Final Four Appearances (NCAA)
North Carolina leads all schools with 21 Final Four appearances, ahead of UCLA. The full leaderboard of college basketball's blue bloods.
Most NBA MVP Awards Won
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the NBA record with six MVP awards. The full leaderboard of the league's most decorated MVP winners, explained.
Most NBA Championships by a Coach
Phil Jackson holds the record with 11 NBA titles as a head coach, ahead of Red Auerbach's 9. The full leaderboard of championship coaches.
Most NBA Finals Appearances by a Team
The Los Angeles Lakers lead all teams with 32 NBA Finals appearances, ahead of the Boston Celtics' 23. The full leaderboard, explained.
Most NBA Finals MVP Awards
Michael Jordan holds the record with 6 NBA Finals MVP awards, ahead of LeBron James's 4. The full leaderboard of Finals MVPs, explained.
Most NCAA Basketball Championships
UCLA has won 11 NCAA men's basketball titles, the most ever. The full leaderboard of the most NCAA basketball championships by school.
Most NCAA Tournament Wins All-Time
Kentucky leads all programs in all-time NCAA Tournament wins, and Mike Krzyzewski leads coaches with 101. The full leaderboard, explained.
Most Points in a Single NBA Game
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in one NBA game in 1962, the all-time record. The full leaderboard of the highest-scoring games ever.
Most Points in an NBA Playoff Game
Michael Jordan scored 63 points in a 1986 playoff game, the NBA record. The full leaderboard of the highest-scoring playoff performances, explained.
Most Points in a Quarter (NBA)
Klay Thompson scored 37 points in a single quarter in 2015, the most in NBA history. The full leaderboard of the highest-scoring quarters ever.
Most Points in an NBA Finals Game
Elgin Baylor scored 61 points in a 1962 NBA Finals game, the all-time record. The full leaderboard of the highest-scoring Finals games ever.
Most Rebounds in a Single NBA Game
Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 55 rebounds in one NBA game in 1960, the all-time record. The full leaderboard of the greatest rebounding performances ever.
Most Rebounds in NBA History
Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 23,924 career rebounds, the most in NBA history. The full leaderboard of the league's greatest rebounders, explained.
Most Steals in NBA History
John Stockton holds the NBA career steals record with 3,265. The full leaderboard of the league's best ball-hawks, explained.
Most 3-Pointers in a Single NBA Game
Klay Thompson made 14 three-pointers in one game in 2018, an NBA record. The full leaderboard of the greatest shooting nights ever.
Most Triple-Doubles in NBA History
Russell Westbrook has 200+ triple-doubles, the most in NBA history. The full leaderboard of the league's triple-double leaders, explained.
The Oldest NBA Players in History
Nat Hickey played an NBA game at 45 in 1948, the oldest ever. Kevin Willis (44) leads the modern era. The full leaderboard, explained.
The Restricted Area in Basketball
The restricted area is a 4-foot arc under the basket where a defender can't draw a charge. What the semicircle means and how the no-charge rule works.
The Shortest NBA Players of All Time
Muggsy Bogues is the shortest NBA player ever at 5'3". The full leaderboard of the smallest players to make it in the league, explained.
The Tallest NBA Players of All Time
Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol share the record as the tallest NBA players ever at 7'7". The full leaderboard of the league's giants.
What Is a Two-Way Contract in the NBA?
An NBA two-way contract lets a player split time between the NBA and the G League. Games limit, salary, roster rules and how it differs, explained.
What Is a Heat Check in Basketball?
A heat check is a bold, often difficult shot a player takes after making several in a row to test if they're truly 'on fire.' The term explained.
What Is a Technical Foul in Basketball?
A technical foul penalizes unsportsmanlike conduct or rule breaches, not contact, and gives the other team a free throw. Rules, examples and ejections.
What Is an And-One in Basketball?
An and-one is when a player is fouled while making a basket and earns one free throw for a possible three-point play. How it works, explained.
The Winningest Coaches in NBA History
Gregg Popovich is the winningest NBA coach ever with about 1,390 regular-season wins. The full leaderboard of the NBA's coaching greats.
WNBA Ball Size vs the NBA
A WNBA ball is 28.5 inches in circumference (a size 6), one inch smaller than the NBA's 29.5-inch size 7. What that means and why the leagues differ.
Worst Record in NBA History
The 2011-12 Bobcats went 7-59 (.106), the worst winning percentage in NBA history. The full list of futility, ranked and explained.
Youngest NBA MVP in History
Derrick Rose won the NBA MVP at age 22 in 2010-11, the youngest ever. The full leaderboard of the youngest MVP winners, explained.
The Youngest NBA Players in History
Andrew Bynum debuted at 18 years and 6 days old, the youngest player in NBA history. The full leaderboard of the league's teen debutants.
Longest Winning Streak in NBA History
The longest winning streak in NBA history is the 1971-72 Lakers' 33 straight. The full list, plus how single-season streaks differ from cross-season runs.
NBA Player With the Most Championships
Bill Russell won the most NBA championships as a player, with 11 for the Boston Celtics. The full ring-count list and why the top is nearly all Celtics.
Which NBA Team Has the Most Championships?
The Boston Celtics have the most NBA championships with 18, one ahead of the Lakers' 17. Full franchise title count by era, updated for 2026.
The Worst NBA Teams Ever: 76ers vs Bobcats
The 1972-73 76ers lost a record 73 games; the 2011-12 Bobcats own the worst win rate (.106) in a shorter, lockout season. Both records, explained.
WNBA Salaries Explained: The 2026 CBA, Supermax and Pay Gap
WNBA salaries in 2026: a $7m cap, a $1.4m supermax and a $270k minimum under the new CBA. How the numbers are set and why they trail NBA pay.
Guess the NBA Player: Poeltl and the Games That Actually Run It
Guess the NBA player games explained. Poeltl is run by the NBA players' union; the league runs its own too. Which one to play, and how the clues work.
82-0 Alternatives: Era Ball, Daily82, Ball IQ and More Compared
If you've played 82-0, here's how Era Ball, Daily82, and Ball IQ's Ultimate Team actually differ — and what to try next.
82-0 Classic vs. Hoop IQ: Which Mode Should You Play?
82-0's Classic mode shows full stats; Hoop IQ hides them entirely. Here's the real difference and which one actually tests what you think it does.
82-0 Strategy Guide: How to Build a Winning Roster
How to actually approach 82-0's draft: which stat categories matter most, when to use your skips, and why the highest-overall picks aren't always right.
82-0 Daily Challenge: How It Works and How to Compete
82-0's Daily Challenge and Challenge Your Friends features explained — how shared daily draws and leaderboards work in this genre.
162-0 and 17-0: How Ball IQ's Other Sports Work
Ball IQ's perfect-season format isn't just basketball. Here's how the NFL (17-0) and MLB (162-0) versions of Ultimate Team actually work.
Best Era Ball Players by Position: Who to Target in the Draft
Which real NBA statistical profiles make the strongest Era Ball picks at each position — and why some star names are better fits than others.
Every Era in Era Ball, Compared: 1950s Through 2020s
Era Ball lets you simulate any NBA decade from the 1950s to the 2020s. See what truly changed about basketball in each era, and why it shapes your draft.
What Is Era Ball? The Basketball Era-Drafting Game, Explained
Era Ball is a browser game where you draft an all-time NBA roster from a chosen decade and simulate a season. Here's how it works and where to play.
Era Ball Alternatives: 82-0, 98-0, Daily82 and More
Era Ball isn't the only draft-and-simulate basketball game. See how 82-0, 98-0, Daily82, iKnoBall, and our own version differ, plus picks for other sports.
Era Ball Features: Challenges, Leaderboards and Cards
See what Era Ball's Weekly Challenge, Leaderboard, Lifetime Stats, Achievements, and Card Collection do, plus how to get involved with the community.
Era Ball Strategy Guide: How to Build a Winning Roster
General strategy for Era Ball: which positions to prioritize, when to reroll, offense vs. defense, and how to actually build a roster that wins consistently.
How Era Ball's Simulation Engine Works
What actually drives an Era Ball result: era-adjusted stats, positional fit, coaching bonuses, and the era-distance penalty explained.
How to Go 82-0 in Era Ball: What a Perfect Season Actually Takes
Going undefeated in Era Ball is rare by design. Here's what actually separates a perfect-season roster from a star-heavy team that still loses games.
How to Play 82-0: Rules, Draft, and Simulation Explained
A step-by-step breakdown of 82-0's rules: the slot machine draft, the five stat categories that decide your record, and the skip mechanic.
How to Play Era Ball: Rules, Draft, and Simulation Explained
A step-by-step guide to playing Era Ball: choosing an era, drafting your nine-player roster, picking a coach, and simulating the season and playoffs.
Is Wilt Chamberlain the Key to Going 82-0?
Wilt Chamberlain's real career numbers are central to why 82-0 went viral. Here is what his statistical profile adds to a Strength Rating build.
Perfect-Season Roster Games: Every Option Compared
Era Ball, 82-0, Daily82, Ball IQ — a growing genre of games where you draft an all-time roster and chase an undefeated season. Here's how they all differ.
What Is 82-0? The Viral NBA Perfect-Season Game, Explained
82-0 is a browser game where you draft a five-player all-time NBA roster and see if it can go undefeated. Here's what it is and why it went viral.
What Is Ball IQ? The Multi-Sport Perfect-Season Game Studio
Ball IQ runs five game modes across NBA, NFL and MLB: daily challenges, fantasy drafts, stat guessers and an Ultimate Team perfect-season mode. See it all.
What Is Daily82? How the Daily Perfect-Season Challenge Works
Daily82 is a daily basketball draft puzzle: five spins, five picks, one shared board for everyone. Here's how it works and how it differs from 82-0.
Where to Play Era Ball: Free, No Account, Mobile and Discord
Everything about accessing Era Ball: is it free, do you need an account, does it work on phones, and where to find its Discord and social accounts.
What Is the Shot Clock in Basketball?
The shot clock forces a team to attempt a shot within a set time, 24 seconds in the NBA. Learn how it works, the reset rules, and why it changed the game.
What Is a Triple Threat in Basketball?
The triple threat is a stance where a player with the ball can shoot, pass, or dribble immediately. Learn the position, why it works, and how to get into it.
What Is a Pick and Roll in Basketball? How It Works
The pick and roll is basketball's most-used play: one player sets a screen, then rolls to the rim while the ball-handler attacks the gap. See how it works.
Double-Double and Triple-Double in Basketball, Explained
A double-double means double digits in two stat categories; a triple-double means double digits in three. Here is how they are counted and why they matter.
Top 10 Tallest NBA Players in History
The tallest NBA players ever stood over 7 feet and redefined play near the basket. See the top 10 tallest in league history and what made each notable.
NBA Players Diagnosed With Life-Threatening Diseases
Several NBA players have faced life-threatening diseases during and after their careers. Their stories of diagnosis, treatment, and advocacy still inspire.
Top Female Basketball Coaches Who Have Shaped the Game
Female basketball coaches have built winning programs from high school to the WNBA and NCAA. Meet the women who shaped the game from the bench.
NBA Players With Long Hair: Icons of the Court
Long hair has been a trademark for many NBA stars. See the most iconic long-haired players in league history and the styles that made them memorable.
Most Points in NBA History: All-Time Scoring Leaders
LeBron James holds the NBA all-time scoring record, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2023. See the top scorers in NBA history and what made them so prolific.
Richest NBA Players: The Wealthiest Stars in Basketball
The wealthiest NBA players built fortunes beyond their contracts through endorsements, business ventures, and smart investments. See what sets them apart.
Most Tattooed NBA Players: Ink Culture on the Court
NBA players own some of the most elaborate tattoos in pro sports. Meet the most tattooed players in the league and the stories behind their body art.
Shortest NBA Players in History: Small Stars Who Dominated
The shortest NBA players ever stood under 6 feet yet competed, and often thrived, at the sport's highest level. Meet the most notable in league history.
NBA Arenas With the Largest Capacity, Ranked
The largest NBA arenas seat well over 20,000 fans. See the biggest arenas in the NBA ranked by capacity, plus what makes each venue stand out.
Oldest NBA Teams: A History of the League's Founding Franchises
Several NBA franchises date to the league's earliest days in the late 1940s. See the oldest teams, their origins, and what makes each historically vital.
Greatest NBA Players of All Time: The Definitive Ranking
The greatest NBA players of all time, from Michael Jordan and LeBron James to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell, ranked by titles and impact.
Shortest Person to Dunk a Basketball: The Record
Dunking is seen as a feat of height and hops, yet short players have pulled it off. Here's what we know about the shortest people to dunk a basketball.
Tallest Female Basketball Players in History: Giants of the Game
The tallest female basketball players have used their extraordinary height as a dominant advantage at the highest levels of the sport, from the WNBA to international competition.